With American soldiers being deployed in numbers not seen since World War II, there are many brave men and women who can use our support. Several organizations make it easy to send a message to serving and veteran soldiers, along with care packages, books, DVDs and other nice-to-haves. We provide the simple instructions for sending letters, and list several organizations that collect requested items for troops, from sunblock to soccer balls.

Talk to your child:

Why is it important to send uplifting notes to our troops?

What would it feel like to be far from home for so long?

Book to share:A Paper Hug by Stephanie Skolmoski. This touching story tells how a young boy knows just what to give his dad when he deploys.